Postal Service delivering despite challenging conditions

U.S. Postal Service carriers in the Washington region were out in full force today, trying to deliver the mail after a trying few days.

The major snowstorm that delivered near-record-breaking snow to the Washington region Friday and Saturday forced the Postal Service to suspend deliveries Saturday. Carriers didn’t fare much better  yesterday, finding it difficult if not impossible to deliver the mail in many neighborhoods that snow plows hadn’t yet reached.

The post office in Mechanicsville, Md., was closed Monday after heavy snow damaged the building’s roof. Repairs were made overnight, and the building was back in service this morning, USPS spokesman Patrick Murphy said.

Murphy said some employees were unable to deliver themselves to their offices because of impassable roads and suspended Metro service. Three area retail stores were closed Monday, and two in Washington are closed today because employees couldn’t get to work.

All carriers were out today making deliveries, however. Murphy encouraged residents to clear a path to their mailboxes so their mail can be delivered.